Henry t



BEAM'.

GAR GOUPLING.V

PatentedJan. 27,1885l UNITED STATES HENRY T. BEAM, OF PALESTINE,ASSIGNOR OF TVO-THIRDS TO WILLIAM C. JONES, OF ROBINSON, AND CHARLESBUTLER, OF EFFINGHAM, ILL.

`CAR-COUFLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,281;dated January27, 1885.

Application filed November 22, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY T. BEAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Palestine, in the county of Crawford and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings,ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and

[o it consists in certain improvements in the construction of the same,as hereinafter described, and specifically set forth inthe claim.

Like letters represent like parts in all the gures.

Figure 1 is a side View of a draw-head, partly in section. Fig. 2 is atop view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe coupling-pin.

In the drawings, A represents the drawhead. It is provided with avertical slot, A', in the upper part thereof, for the insertion of acoupling-pin, B. The side ofthis slot near est the mouth or opening ofthe draw-head is perpendicular, or nearly so, forming two solidshoulders, A3 A4, for the pin to rest against,

while the rear side presents a concave curve that extends upward untilit meets a beveled shelf, A2, that keeps the pin from accidentallycoming out of the draw-head. l

To allow the couplingpin to swing backward under the impulse it mayreceive, it is provided with an arm, B, the free end of which ispivotally secured in the forward portion of the draw-head above theopening or mouth A3 in a recess, Ai, under a hanging shelf, a, adaptedto receive the forward arm,

B', and through the extreme end of. said arm B is inserted a pin or rod,B2, which acts as a pivot for the coupling-pin.`

To dispense with the rod B2 and the perforation made for its passagethrough the drawhead, the end of the arm B may be provided with shorttrunnions b?, Fig. 3, and the latter be made to enter through theinclined passage a into the recess under the overhanging shelf ct, andthe latter perform the same function as the bolt B2; but if said bolt orrod is rigidly connected to the arm B, and is made of proper length, itmay be furnished with crank-handles for lifting and lowering the 5o pinBfrom the sides of a car. The head of the pin B is provided with arearwardly-extending arm, B3, and a chain, b, for raising the saine fromthe platform or the top of the car. At the bottom of the draw-head thereis an opening, c, to allow rain or melting snow to flow through. Alarger opening, c", as shown in dotted lines, may be made to receive thelower end of an ordinary coupling-pin in case of an accident to the pinB. The pivot 6o B2 of the coupling-pin B is sunk into the body of thedraw-head as low as possible, so as to give a shorter swing to the pinthan ifit were pivoted above said draw-head, and thereby keeps thecoupled cars closer together', and yet 65 giving the link suiiicientplay between the pin and the extreme inner end of the drawhead forstarting each car of a freight-train.

I am aware that coupling-pins have been made with a T-sha-ped head, andthat the forearm of said head has been retained in a socket of thedraw-head by a forked dog inserted in said socket over the pivot of thecouplingpin, and I do not claim this construction.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- In combination with adraw-head .provided with an inclined passage, a2, in the forward portionthereof, the coupling-pin provided with an arm extending rearward and anarm 8o extending forward, and a rod passing through the extremity of theforward arm and beyond the sides of the drawhead, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature S5 in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY T. BEAM.

Vitnesses:

E. E. Masson, W. B. Masson.

